I have an '06 r53 with a manual trans and around 96,000 miles, and I've been experiencing the dreaded front end clunk from the passenger side now for at least 8-9 months.

So far I've replaced:
Inner and outer ball joints
Inner and outer tie rods
Lower control arm bushings with poly bushings
Upper engine mount with Vibratechnics solid mount
Full ST XTA coil over set with adjustable solid top mount plates
WMW end links
New inner CV boots and grease

I also poly filled the open portions of my lower engine mount to stiffen that up a bit, and have gone through every suspension/subframe bolt I can think of and torqued and rechecked everything, no matter what I do it clunks so bad when starting off from a stop that the passenger side front of the car will actually make a popping/clunk sound that you can feel in the floor boards. It's actually getting worse too, and the pop/clunk can be repeated over and over just by getting of the throttle and letting off while going in a straight line.

At this point I'm at a loss for what it can even be, I've checked the steering rack to see if there's any play in the mounts and they seem to be solid, so I don't think it's that. The axles themselves don't make the typical CV clicking noise, no axle noise when making turns either, so I would rule them out too.

Did anyone ever find a solution to this? At this point it's beyond annoying and I'm this close to driving this pile of junk off a cliff.

 

is it coil bind within the coilover? I have a clunk right now going from left to right, and it is my LCA bushings. on the lift I can move the LCA like an inch within that bushing. but you already replaced yours =D

 

What shape is your upper timing side engine mount in? They clunk when they are 112% failed.

Stock Option: Detroit Tuned MINI Engine Mount

Aftermarket Option: Detroit Tuned Engine Mount

****Just seen the Vibratechnic****

Like Salty said; are your coilovers binding, or making contact with the inner wheel well?

Are your end links properly adjusted? Not making contact with the lower control arms?





But with your description I would still be taking a closer look at engine mounts, short of that are your brake caliper brackets tight to the steering knuckle?

 

The reason your car is clunking is because it is a CLUNKER.
Sorry, I couldn't resist.

ISAMIN

 

I got lucky, I happened to be showing a friend an upcoming project I'm doing with the car and mentioned removing the eaton and intercooler horns. As I grabbed them, the motor rocked and clunked, and I noticed the washer holding the engine mount to the motor mount had shifted. I guess with all the vibration from the mount, the nut worked its way loose again. I torqued it to 50 ft/lbs and the noise is finally gone.

All this frustration over that single but coming loose. Figures.

 

glad you found it!

 

Oh cool, glad to hear you found it!

 

Oh trust me, so am I haha! I have a feeling when I originally put the mount in, the motor sat a little twisted on the mount and it contributed to the nut coming loose. I would suggest anyone who has this clunk noise to go back and loosen and retorque that top nut on the motor mount just in case the engine has shifted.